English Literature A Level

A Level English Literature Do you want to…    

 

Read and analyse texts in more depth and detail than you have been able to at GCSE? Study a range of novels, plays and poems across different genres, time periods and literary styles?

Explore how literary texts are shaped by (and help to shape) the societies, cultures and literary contexts in which they are written and received?

Discuss and interrogate different interpretations of texts (including those of your peers, teachers and literary critics) in a small group environment, evaluating complex readings and ideas about texts to come to your own independent conclusions?

Develop your verbal debating and presentation skills as well as your extended written essay style?

Study, analyse and compare two texts of your own choice, enabling you to pursue further study in an area of literature that is particularly appealing to you?

If the answer is ‘YES!’ then the A Level English Literature course is for you!

This course develops your understanding of how writers construct literary texts and how different readers construct meanings from literary texts. Much of the course is focused on your independent engagement with and analysis of texts from a wide range of time periods and genres and orientating your ideas and interpretations in relation to others’ interpretations. Discussion and debate is at the heart of English Literature, as is a genuine interest in exploring and probing literary texts to tease out the layers of meaning.

Which courses accept A Level English Literature?

A number of university courses list A Level English as an essential entry requirement. Please note that English Literature (unlike English Language) is recognised as a Facilitating Subject for applications to Oxbridge and Russell Group Universities and that any student wishing to continue with an English Literature or traditional English degree at university should ensure that he/she chooses English Literature as one of their A Levels. Courses which A Level English Literature will equip you well for include:         

English Media Studies (including Communication Studies) Drama History Modern Languages Psychology Sociology Philosophy Classics

How is A Level English Literature different to what I have done at GCSE? A Level English Literature is similar to GCSE in that you will study, analyse and produce developed responses about literary texts. Like at GCSE, this will include plays, novels and poetry. At A Level you will go into much more depth and detail in your study and exploration of the texts and there is much more focus on debating different interpretations and considering how different texts can be interpreted differently by different people at different times.

A Level English Literature at a glance Component 1: Drama – Tragedy (30%) Exam: 2 hours Section A – Shakespeare One discursive essay question based on a Shakespeare play, incorporating ideas from wider critical reading.

At BRGS we study ‘Othello’ (one Shakespeare play will be studied in total).

Section B – Other drama One analytical essay question based on a drama text.

At BRGS we study ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ by Tennessee Williams.

Component 2: Prose (20%) Exam: 1 hour Comparing Prose Texts Students answer one question, comparing two prose texts in relation to a specific theme.

At BRGS we focus on the theme of ‘Science and Society’, studying the novels Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood.

Component 3: Poetry (30%) Exam: 2 hours Section A – Post-2000 Poetry and Unseen Poetry One essay question comparing an unseen modern poem (written post-2000) with a named poem from your studied contemporary text (one of the 27 poems from the ‘Poems of the Decade’ anthology, written post2000), analysing the poet’s use of form, language and poetic conventions. A range of poetry will be studied in preparation for this exam component.

Section B – Prescribed Poetry One analytical essay on either a named collection or a named poet within a chosen literary period.

At BRGS we study a collection of 30 poems from Metaphysical poets, including John Donne and Andrew Marvell.

Component 4: Independent Study (20%) Coursework (no exam) One extended comparative essay (2500-3500 words) analysing two literary texts of your own choice. The chosen texts must be different from those studied for components 1, 2 & 3 and linked by theme, movement, author or period. Texts may be selected from poetry, prose and drama and students have free choice as to which texts they study.

Entry Requirement A good pass in GCSE English Literature (Grade 6 or above) is expected.

Our A Level English Literature Results Number of students

A*/A

B

C

D/E

U

Pass rate A*/A (%)

Pass rate A*-B (%)

Pass rate A*-E (%)

ALPS1 Grade

2017**

30

12

9

9

2

0

40

70

100

4

2016

19

12

5

1

1

0

63

89

100

2

2015

28

11

7

6

4

0

39

64

100

2

** new specification for 2017 following the A Level reforms 1

ALPS is a national system to measure the progress of students’ performance at A Level in relation to their GCSE result. An ALPS Grade 1 would put the students’ progress at A Level in the top 1% in the country, whereas an ALPS Grade 9 would put the students’ progress in the bottom 1% of nationwide performance. ALPS grade 2 is the top 10% of providers, ALPS grade 3 is the top 25% of providers.